Imagine you were catastrophically injured in a car accident due to no fault of your own. Maybe you were the passenger in the vehicle of a drunk driver. Maybe you were a driver struck by a recklessly driving and distracted motorist. Whatever the reasons that caused your injuries and damages, if they weren’t your fault, it’s important to determine who’s to blame and start preparing your case for damages.
To ensure that you put your best foot forward in court, there are some vital steps you’ll want to take immediately after the collision. Hopefully, you’re well enough to carry out these steps yourself, but if you’re not, enlist a family member or personal injury attorney for support. Here’s what you’ll want to do:
Take pictures and video: Virtually everyone is equipped with a smartphone these days, and after a serious crash, that smartphone has a very important tool: the camera. Use your smartphone camera to snap photos of the accident scene, the cars involved in the crash and the surrounding area. Also, take pictures of your injuries. You might even want to capture video evidence of the area.
Take copious notes: As soon as you possibly can, take notes on the events of the collision and what happened in the moments before the collision. Try to remember every single detail that you possibly can. In addition, take notes regarding the conversations you had with others involved in the collision and/or others who may have witnessed it. These notes could serve you well as evidence during litigation.
Save all the evidence: Make sure you save pictures of your car and its damage as well as the damage on other drivers’ vehicles. If a piece falls off your car in the crash, save it as evidence. In addition, keep the clothing that you wore during the accident, particularly if it’s damaged. It should also go without saying to preserve your medical receipts and other items that record your expenses caused by the accident and your injuries.
Get a list of everyone’s names and contact information: Other drivers involved in the collision, passengers and witnesses to the accident need to be kept track of. Write down their names, drivers’ license numbers, license plate numbers, phone numbers, addresses, insurance information, email addresses and other identifying information.
Gathering and keeping a record of the above information could mean the difference between winning and losing your potential personal injury action after a car accident. You may also want to familiarize yourself with applicable personal injury laws that can assist you in the litigation of your case.